Sleight of Hand and Twist of Fate
by Markolvr
Summary: Now a well-known author, Serenity has made Santa Carla her home. As family to a pack of bloodthirsty vampires, the excitement never ends, but what happens when old faces come back to haunt them, and the love she thought was hers, is not the one at all? Sequel to Destination Unknown
1. Prologue

Dearest readers,

It's been awhile since we've been together, you and I, and as I sit here with the ballpoint of my pen smashed against this page, I realize how things have come full circle and that not even the most powerful of sources, aside from God, can determine whom you're supposed to be with. I was wrong. I love Marko. I do and I always will, but things have changed. Now before I go into detail about that, how about a brief recap?

I was born in a backcountry town of Oregon, and raised to the age of two by my mother after my dad left us both. About a year after, my mom was brutally murdered in our house by an alpha vampire, and I was sent to live with my grandparents in Saratoga, California. The small farm they owned and still own is where I learned to ride and would eventually lead me into a short lived career as a jockey on my favorite horse, the Black. Naturally, I also ended up becoming somewhat of a little town, country girl, but being as young as I was, me and my new legal guardians, were unaware that the vampire who had killed my mom was seeking me out due to a few very unique traits I posses. You may already know about some of these, but this particular vampire had hired a set of highly skilled scientists to work for him as well; his ultimate plan being to someday turn the city of Santa Carla into a forever night, using the power of the chosen one. Imagine my surprise when I found out it was I. Honestly I hate the title. It makes me sound like some big time hero with an attitude and that is far from the truth. But I digress.

I fast became hunted by these scientists, captured once at the age of three and saved by a boy I wouldn't remember anything about until many years later. The only memory of my savior would be that he had wild blonde hair, and didn't look like the type that typically went around saving young kids.

After that, I fought to stay out of their clutches for a long time, until one night a group of vampires appeared in my hayloft, looking for a bite to eat out of their normal surroundings. It was purely coincidental, but our meeting would set the course for all of our destinies. It led to an odd and unusual kind of friendship that led to an on and off relationship for many years.

When I turned ten, the leader of the Lost Boys group, David, told me that the time had come for them to leave and he wouldn't explain why. The circumstances for them were grave and for my safety, it was important to cut all ties. Little did I know that shortly after, Paul would come seeking my help in the oddest of forms and that I'd have this memory of him and the others completely wiped from my mind until years later. I would meet up with them again by accident on the Boardwalk in Santa Carla, and yet another series of events would fall into place. These vampires of mine had become the chosen four, made to protect me against their maker in a strange twist of fate, as he was the one seeking the forever night in the 'murder capital of the world'. I would then learn that I also had a destined love in the group and fell for the one by the name of Marko. With the help from some unlikely characters, the boys, and myself managed to save the small town and us, by killing Max.

After that I realized life would never be the same for me and I couldn't return to the one I once new. It had lost its flavor and I had lost my passion. I was awake for many nights and not by choice, but the nightmares kept me awake. I even left Santa Carla for a spell to clear my head and began to write a book about what had happened. Marko came to visit me quite often while I wrote it and our relationship grew. He was my muse, my lover and convinced me to move back to Santa Carla on a permanent basis just after my book was published. Shortly after I met a fan of my work through the Internet by the name of Marie and we talked quite a bit through email. She was having some issues in her own life and could relate to my circumstances, but as I began the move, we lost touch. It wasn't in my best interest to tell her about the Lost Boys, seeing as they were and still are very picky about whom they let into their circle. Many have tried and almost all have failed. There again I digress.

Little did I know that once I moved to the small seaside town, something else would begin brewing and I would find that the one I thought was my soul mate wasn't at all.

- Serenity

~Thank you for reading! Reviews are loved.~


	2. Home Sweet Home

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respected owners. The original characters and plots are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

"_I'll be back for you, Serenity. I haven't changed my mind about that."_

Serenity's night terrors had become less frequent since her permanent move to Santa Carla, and she had never felt more at ease. Even with the few nightmares that still lingered, life since the battle with Max had been a breeze, but as the day faded and turned to night, whisking her away to dream land, one managed to creep in. It was a mixture, a perfect blend of blood and chaos that left Max standing over Marko's mutilated body, promising her that in his return she would be his ritual, otherwise there would be nothing left of the vampire she loved. With that said, he then turned Marko's body to ash.

She shied away from Max in her dream, terror stricken, only to run into Paul. The panic in her eyes was instantly replaced with such relief that he had not become a pile of dust on the beach like his brother, only now he showcased his fangs for her to see and blood dripped from his lips. "Where you going girl?" he snarled. "This ain't over yet, not by a long shot."

The dream faded as she tried to run, and tried to get away from him while subconsciously she knew it was just a dream. Things were different now. She was a best selling author, ex jockey, ex chosen one, and so far, no more threats had reared their ugly heads in reality. Not only that but she had been brought into a second family of sorts, even if they were night dwellers and their duties to each other were to keep both parties from harm. The reason behind that had yet to be explained, but she wasn't sure if any of them knew what it was.

Aside from that, a couple of her partners in crime from the past ordeal, the Frog brothers, had left town to hunt the undead in other parts of the US, leaving their comic book store behind. They had been of good help then, but a little over bearing in terms of their opinions, so it was no lie that Serenity was glad they were away. Sage and Jax kept in contact and had offered several times to come and help her adjust to the powers that still remained dormant within her, but she had yet to except a date and time.

Her mind twisted and turned around these things as if her brain was made up of wire instead of brain matter while she dreamt. It didn't help that no matter which way she turned, Paul was there and for a second she was standing in a hayloft. He was whispering something to her but she couldn't hear the words as she backed so far away that one wrong step left her plummeting to the ground below.

With a quick start, she sprang up in her bed, only to do a double take and let out something of a sharp scream as she realized David was sitting there at the foot of it. She had lost track of the hours waiting for night to come and by the time it did she had fallen asleep. "Did I miss our meeting?" she asked, throwing a hand to her chest to catch her breath, before pulling the sweat soaked hair from her face.

"No," he answered calmly, but the lack of emotion in his tone still gave her chills and she slumped a little, before his hand covered one of her knees. "You were dreaming."

"Yeah." Her eyes fell as if she were ashamed of that fact. "You haven't been there long, have you? It's kind of embarrassing."

"Why didn't you tell me you were still having nightmares like this?" He always sounded like an aged scholar when he asked her questions like this, either that or a father figure of sorts with a way of getting to the truth by just looking into her eyes. It was a straight stare as soft as his blue, yet cold peepers, but always demanding; one you couldn't easily turn away from.

"They're going away, I promise. Marko knows, and I'm sure Paul does too." As if that answer would make it any better, she pulled her legs in and sat up. How long had it been? Two or three years and yet David always acted as if he had known her from the time of birth to where every little detail of her life was important to him. Or maybe it was just the fact that she was the chosen one. "I'm dealing. Like I said, they're going away, but I'm sorry if I made you wait."

"I wasn't waiting, Serenity. I have a few things that might help you with those nightmares; all you have to do is ask. "What's Marko been doing for you?"

"I, um…in what kind of sense do you mean?" A small blush appeared on her cheeks as she caught her lover in the doorway, wearing that all knowing grin of his as he tapped the frame just before Paul came bouncing in behind him. The lanky blonde with the wild mane practically hopped onto Marko's back as he threw his arms around his neck to shove him aside, but not before putting his favorite pack mate into a headlock. Marko grappled with him for a few and they both ended up near the foot of the bed, only the tables had turned and Paul was the one in the headlock.

"What did we miss?" Marko asked in all seriousness as he scrambled to Serenity's right side, while Paul took the other. The two of them wrestled yet again over her lap with their thumbs and fingers in a war until David put a stop to it with just one word.

"Boys."

"Yeah boss?" Marko asked, catching Serenity's cheek for a kiss. Paul moved in for the same but got a hand in his face. "No way bro. Hands and lips off the goods." His grin returned and Paul gave him a smart-ass look while poking Serenity in the ribs a few times. She laughed and ended up wrestling with him just a little bit before all eyes were back on David. Serenity cleared her throat and got right back to business.

"Anyway…my editor called me and was kind enough to help me set something up on the boardwalk in terms of a book signing, which you know of, so…I was awaiting your answer." Her voice became quiet in that last bit, before her bravery returned and she carried on. "The story is obviously published as fiction, but you guys have fans everywhere. They thought it would be nice to have you there with me at the signing. You know, make it a whole ordeal for show, seeing as it's the boardwalk and all."

"My problem is not the boardwalk or the fans, as long as they keep their facts straight in that we are just actors. That is what they would be thinking, right?" David looked to her and then to Paul who had his lips slack and the way he sat told all that he was eager for this to go down. Anything for some action, but Marko looked restrained, as if his intentions were to please both Serenity and his sire. "Marko?"

"Yeah, yeah. Look I know we gotta keep ourselves safe but if this goes down the way it should there won't be a problem. We get any crazies following us and it'll just be a free meal ticket."

"Or a chance for the population to throw judgment and suspicion our way," David interjected, with grave concern. "Which means branching out even more to feed to keep the hunters away. Paul, what do you think?"

Paul had been leaning casually against Serenity's arm taking it all in, but now that it was his turn to offer input, he sat forward and drew a knee up to his chest. "I don't look forward to messing with hunters again any time soon. I'm liking this whole staying 'alive' deal. Not that I DON'T wanna make a lot of noise, but since we got a lot of people coming to this thing, might as well do what we gotta do to make sure we're good and our lil' sis here is safe!

With his emphasis on the word safe, Serenity realized she hadn't thought the entire thing out before offering the boys up as puppets in her world, but David had a point and the last thing she wanted was more threats. Her body wavered from Paul's heavy lean right into Marko's chest and she sat back against him while his hands joined in the front at her middle. "Ok, you're right, I get it. So what if there were a lot of lights and show and you guys were just, you know off in the background on your bikes, guarded of course. We could have ropes blocking off the section to keep the fans away. At least then you would be close enough to keep watch on me, but you know, not in a position to talk to anyone, unless you really had to?"

"You realize that aside from fans who think this is just for show, there will be others, others in our world who know exactly what we're about. The ones who might show up just to spite us for claiming to be in the spotlight, and the ones from OUR past who believe us dead." David's eyes got really big for a second when he said this. "You see, Serenity, in our world, now your world, you have to be careful with every little thing you do when it comes to the public's eye, because there will always be a New Life Corp out there waiting to get their hands on all of us, and we don't want that, do we?"

Even as his words had been out to help her earlier with the monsters of the recent past, they were now shooting out like poisonous darts to sting and cause her to go rigid in Marko's arms as she shook her head no. "Of course not." There was sadness in her voice as her brow creased and she pressed as hard as she could into Marko for comfort. Her heart began to beat a little faster as she suddenly recalled the dream she was having not even a half hour before they all arrived and Marko could feel it.

"Come on, man. Not now, huh?" He pressed his lips into the side of her temple without taking his eyes from David as if to persuade him to go along with it. "The book is already out there, so no matter what we're gonna have some kind of turn out for old faces, whether we want them or not; whether we pretend to be ourselves or not. I say we go for it. We'll just stay back somewhat to keep from getting the unneeded conversation."

"We won't let nothing happen to Serenity. We're her protectors, after all aaaand, we're so not gonna let anybody ruin our fun here." Paul added.

He relaxed his leg and let it stretch out, the heels of his boot just shy of tapping David's hand. His other foot dangled over the side of the bed; while one hand drummed against his thigh to some nonsensical beat he had heard on his way over. "Anybody coming in here wanting to crash our party is gonna have another thing coming. So let's get to it already!"

"Always eager aren't you, Paul?" David was only half serious and he knew his fledgling could tell as he reached forward and placed a hand on Serenity's leg. "All right. As Paul said, let's get to it, but if anything happens while we're out there, I'm pulling the plug. Paul, why don't you give our girl here some of your specialty while Marko and I go fetch Dwayne? Help her calm down a little." He gave Serenity a wink and got up from the bed. The conversation was over by his standards and there was no need to waste any more time on it.

Marko on the other hand wasn't quite as eager to leave his girl behind with her troubled thoughts, even though he knew if anyone could bring her out of her dismal state, Paul could. "Just don't let him weasel his way into any kisses from ya." He joked, slowly rising from behind her. She wasn't quite eager for him to depart either, and her hands gripped his until she had to let go. "I'll be back in a bit, or Paul, if you guys head out let me know and I'll catch up." He gave her one more smooch at the corner of her mouth and then followed David out the door.

"Hurry back!" she yelled after them, grabbing the sheets at her sides to crinkle in her hands as if that would help with the stress. Once they were gone she turned her head towards Paul and gave him an offset smile. "So, you got the goods for me?" Her eyebrows wiggled as if she were mocking seduction in attempt to come across as playful rather than boring and wigged out.

"Girl, I got PLENTY of goods. Just depends on what you want." His tone was suggestive on its own and he leaned in close, as if wanting to brush his lips against hers.

"Hee hee, ha ha." She blew off his persuasive notions by blowing on his lips as they came intimately close, though she couldn't deny the zing or snap of electricity between them whenever he came into her space. Still, his leg got a playful swat for that as he sat back against the headboard, shoving his hand into his coat pocket to produce a baggy with a couple of buds. A pipe soon followed after, accompanied by a lighter.

"Ladies first," he said as he handed her the goods and tilted his head back against the board, watching her with playful, inquisitive eyes.

"Why thank you." Her words were still flirty and whimsical, as were her eyes as she accepted the tools and went to work filling the pipe. There had only been a few other occasions where she had smoked with all the boys, but now it was becoming a regular thing. "If this is David's idea for clearing my bad dreams away, then by all means, I'm game." She let out a tiny laugh and finally got a good puff, holding the smoke in before letting it out. "I had one this evening," she admitted, her voice full of disappointment. "You were in it, only, you wanted to kill me. I don't mean to say it like it's a surprise or that I want your sympathy, I'm just saying."

Paul knew the dream was no dream. The mere thought of it took him back to when he had first encountered her, not as the little squirt he and his brothers were forced to leave behind, but the adult he saw now. All grown up and filled out in all the right places. It was her blood that made him go ape and frighten the hell out of her. The memory had been taken away from her, but still, if only he could tell her...

"Ahhh, it's like you said, you're just saying is all." He chuckled and after picking up the lighter from her lap, he flicked it on and off a few times, watching the flame appear and disappear. "You got nothing to worry about, lil sis, because I won't let nothing happen to you... BUT!" with emphasis on 'but,' he snatched the pipe and wagged his eyebrows at her before he lit up for himself. He took a deep breath and held it for a few seconds before exhaling. "Woo wee, fresh green right here."

"Likewise." She agreed and watched him go through the motions "But what? You can't go a day without the herb?" This was a tease and her expression showed it as she smirked up at him, tilting her head sideways. "You know ever since I learned I could hear your thoughts, all I hear is music twenty-four seven in your head. Why don't you join a band or something?" She laughed but it only lasted for half a second as she quickly stole the peace pipe back from him and started up another smoke, already feeling it's effects.

Paul had quite the talent despite his short years as a vampire over the usage of his mental powers or 'mind mojo' as he called it. Unless it was someone like Dwayne who could cut through his music due to his keen senses, telepaths had a difficult time getting into his head. He didn't care to advertise his thoughts to anyone unless they were invited. Then again, who was to say anyone could handle what he was thinking? As it was, the smell of weed wafted throughout the room already, creating a sense of calmness. "I'm seriously looking forward to the signing. Gonna be a lot of action on the boardwalk for sure. Plenty of faces, lots of blood…I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. Or it could be the future munchies talking, heh!"

Serenity shook her head at him; at the way he could switch topics in a snap. "So you're not going to answer my questions either? Fine. Least now I know I wasn't dreaming that first night in the cave, and I KNOW you looked at my thigh." Her eyes squinted as she said this and she got up from the bed, waiting to see how he would react as she turned her back on him and made for the kitchen. There was plenty of food in there for the all time munchies. "I don't have any blood, less you consider me...but Doritos are good right? Doritos and cottage cheese." The cupboard was opened and she grabbed the bag of chips along with a spoon and from the fridge came the creamy milk product, which she knew he probably wouldn't partake in.

It was fact that both of them knew he enjoyed getting her worked up on purpose by not answering her questions from time to time, because he liked her spit fire attitude, and it was always done in good fun.

"Guilty as charged!" he announced when she made off to the kitchen. He jumped off the bed, silently landing on his feet, and within seconds, he was standing right behind her as she grabbed the chips and spoon. "Nacho Cheese, good pick."

"Not your cheese don't you mean?" she teased, frozen in that little space between him and the counter, glancing from side to side without moving until she felt her hair flutter as his hand swiped at the bottom of it, causing it to brush along her shoulders before settling once more. Then she turned into him and for a brief moment their eyes locked as she felt his hips meet hers among other things. The quick action she had planned was momentarily stunted and she found herself lost in the electric blue of his eyes. It was always this way with the two of them, teasing and touching lightheartedly in their own little bubble apart from the rest of the world.

"It's mine!" she blurted quite suddenly, breaking the swoon as she managed to dart out from in front of him and ran for the bed. She hadn't realized that the bag was open and she'd left a trail of chips behind her. "Oh damn it all! You can have what's on the floor," she laughed, pointing at the path of orange.

"You know you just wanted me to follow ya, but all you had to do was ask, babe."

"I'm leaving a trail for you," she implied, waving her hand over the mess. "That way, you'll always be able to find me." Her smile was genuine and went from ear to ear as he snickered and picked up the chips, indeed following her trail right back to the bed. Eventually, more herb was smoked and the food was devoured in no time. All the while, the two of them sat side by side, enjoying the night together, and she realized that since her life had changed with the move, Paul was the one she hung with the most when the others were away. Their first encounters, to her knowledge, had been casual, as if she was just another girl, but there was a rising suspicion in the back of her mind that led her to believe there was more to the story than the boys were willing to give. It happened now every time they were alone, even with the rock music blaring in his head. It was his actions and his looks that gave him away, yet she remained tight lipped about it.

_One day, I will find out what you're hiding._

_~Thank you for reading. Reviews are loved.~_


	3. The Signing

**This is a pretty long chapter, I hope you guys don't mind. Regardless, enjoy!**

The book, Destination Unknown, had become a great hit all around and was in high demand by fans all over the world, but Serenity refused to budge much when it came to traveling and doing book tours. The crowds were not something she enjoyed. The farthest she would travel was Seattle or down to San Diego where several conventions were held every summer. Most of the time her fans were looking to hook up with real vampires and figured that by getting their books signed, they would have a free ticket in, even though her book was published as fiction. On this night, however, some would possibly get their wish, as David had agreed to stage a performance on the boardwalk. If a fan were lucky enough to catch a break, said fan would probably end up vanishing later that night. Needless to say, Serenity had given the boys an opportunity at a free for all buffet of blood, and the fleshy bags would continue to pile in one after the other until the night ended.

With the countless tourists already flocking in to see the sights, there was no reason why it wouldn't be a big hit. Giant spotlights were already set up above the carousel, spinning around, crisscrossing over each other as the directors of the attraction readied them for the show, as well as the loud speakers of the amusement park that blared the song 'Shoot To Thrill' by AC/DC. At the park entrance behind long red ropes, the boys' bikes sat, tucked neatly against the wall for safety. To the left, in front of the carousel, a long row of tables had been set up and decorated in a few macabre things, including the blood bottle, fake of course, a skull, a few plastic bats, the needles and syringes from the New Life Corp, and the elements in which Max used for the spell he had designed to bring on an everlasting darkness, all for the sake of special affects. It made Serenity extremely nervous; some things were better left in the past buried deep in her mind or in the fine print of her book for others to read.

At this point in time, Serenity remained hidden inside the carousel towards the back, sitting on one of the benches, staring at the giant clown in the wall. His mouth was fixed to open as if mocking her for shying away from the crowd, but the real reason why the jokesters mouth gaped was a little less insulting, seeing as kids and adults alike loved to toss the metal rings of the carousel right into his mouth. She held one, twirling it around one of her fingers before she lifted from her seat and tossed it in.

"That's good luck you know." She heard Marko's voice as he and Paul appeared through one of the secret side doors. Paul was his usual jovial self and walked to the tune of a beat only he could hear, snapping his fingers as he took a leap over the back of the bench and seated himself above her. Marko held a soda in his hands and popped the top, offering it to Serenity. "Here, David said to drink this. It'll take the edge off."

"Nah, nah bro, what she needs is a good hit. That'll take the edge off for sure. Just like last night. That don't even got any booze in it." There was a hint of playful laughter from Paul as he rocked back and then placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a good squeeze. That's when Serenity heard the music jamming in his head once more. It was so loud she was surprised no one waiting outside could hear it.

She took the can from Marko and sipped it, letting the fizzy, soda tingle her mouth as it slipped down her throat. "Where is David?" she asked, sipping the gutter of the can as her eyes moved back and forth between the two vampires. A second later, Dwayne made his entrance, keeping the door behind him cracked. His look was all business.

"Coast is clear. They're ready for us to roll. " He gave them the traditional sign of the devil and ducked back out halfway to watch the crowd.

"David's waiting out back." Marko answered. "Smoking a cig. He's still concerned."

The two vampires seemed to tense a little from that notion but their attention was caught as the coordinator approached from the front of the carousel. Suddenly the butterflies in Serenity's stomach began to dance all over again. "They're ready for you, sweetheart," he announced, giving a confident yet weary glance at the boys who watched him. Dwayne was now his ever stoic self and stood with his legs apart at the door, while Marko held the backs of his arms and Paul still sat with one leg crooked on the back of the bench. He wore half a scowl and scoffed as the word sweetheart was presented to his best bud.

"Got it. Thank you, Dan. I'll have the boys escort me out." Despite her nerves, her voice was full of confidence and after one more sip she sat the soda down and got up from her seat.

Paul drummed his hands on his knees once more and turned, stepping off the bench with her so that he could lean in and whisper. "Who does that guy think he is anyway? Calling you sweetheart?" There was a strain in his voice as if the pet name annoyed him as he followed after her, jumping up on one of the side benches to snap his fingers mid air before coming back down again to bump her in the side with his hip.

"What?" she made a slight noise and refrained from laughing. "He's the vision planner for this mess, and an ass, but this is how he makes his money and this is why you guys are here, to keep him from trying anything funny. Not that YOU wouldn't try yourself, Mr." As they began to walk towards the masses, she glanced up at him sideways to see if he was paying attention to her sarcasm. The cat like grin on his face told all, but then he was also watching the crowd already, giving the cop at the front of the line a once over. Marko and Dwayne followed right behind, and before the three of them left to take their bikes for a ride, Marko gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. This of course made the fans cheer and their frenzied movement started up once more.

"Don't forget boys, leave the job to us and everything will go smooth," the cop informed the three night dwellers as they moved past him. Dwayne's already dark expression turned hostile as he frowned, but Marko gave him a clap on the back to keep him moving.

"Best be watching our girl then." Paul's voice was witty but his rancid glare was enough to kill. "Cuz if anything happens to her, and we can't get to her, we're coming for you."

"Is that a threat, boy?" The guard asked, towering over Marko with his baton in hand. The three of them could tell he didn't like their sort and found it necessary to test the waters, just waiting for an excuse to kick them out.

"Hey, back off, man!" Paul warned as he stepped in between Marko and the guard. Fixing the dude a rather sarcastic smirk, he pulled Marko back with him and said, "Just make sure you do the job you were hired to do. After all, Serenity's family, nothing wrong with wanting to see that she's safe and sound, right, buddy boy?"

This little display was not helping Serenity's nerves in the least, but the crowd loved it. They were cheering and yelling things like, 'Hey, are those your vampires? They protect you? We want to meet them!' She swallowed hard as Dwayne collected his brothers, grabbing their jackets to pull them towards their destination over by the makeshift ramps, but her seat looked so desolate and alone without them.

Dwayne gave her a reassuring nod over his shoulder as he continued to herd his younger siblings onward. "We'll be right over here. Just holler if you need us." He growled at a girl who came too close to touching his jacket and realized it really was time to go. The smell of human blood and sweat was prominent in the area and the hunger pangs were kicking in.

"Maybe this wasn't such a great idea." Marko admitted as they approached and mounted their bikes.

"Was your call Marko, in the end. Come on. The least we can do is distract a few of these mortal fans of hers with some good riding. It's been awhile. Let's see what you got." David's engine roared to life with the flick of a switch and a turn of his wrist. He waited for the others to start their motors before heading up over the platform.

Serenity took her seat as the boys began their stunts, mesmerized by the way they rode and for a second she forgot what she was doing. The rope had been taken down and the first visitor had stepped up, plopping her book down so hard that Serenity jumped and blinked, turning to look up at the girl.

"Hi, Serenity. I'm your biggest fan," the girl told her with a bashful smile. "My name is Molly and I've read your book like over one hundred times, maybe more, but I'm dying to know, is it real?"

Serenity flipped the book open, eyeing the girl once or twice as she debated where to place her signature. "It's actually fiction, Molly. Vampires don't exist, but I'm glad you liked it..."

"No! I love it. Love it! I love all of this!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands around in the air with a wild twinkle in her eyes. "I so wish it was real. I would throw myself in front of any vampire or wizard for you."

"I...umm, I appreciate that. Thank you." Serenity answered, and decided to scribble her name up in the right hand corner of the book before sliding it back over to the girl, but the girl continued to stand there, staring at her in awe. "I'm sorry, did you have another book to sign?" Thankfully, security stepped up and gently walked the girl away.

"You are so fucking hot," a young guy announced, handing her his book while managing to touch her fingers at the same time. "Let me be your vampire. I'll do it, just say the word and I'll find one and turn myself. Screw the book! I need you in my life!"

"Oh!" Serenity exclaimed, throwing herself back in her seat. She didn't know whether to laugh or freak out. A faster than fast signature was produced and she slid the book back with a quick, nice to meet you, have a nice night, and then the guy was escorted away.

After a few more fans visited, she dropped her pen and flexed her fingers. The boys were on their way over, finished with their ride and Marko was at her side in an instant, catching the eye of some girl who stood about five feet from the tables. He gave Serenity a peck on the cheek and pegged the fan as dinner later on.

"Thank you," she offered him, smiling as Paul took a seat beside her. "How's David holding up? He looks stiffer than my fingers."

"Ahhh, you know David's gotta be on the look out for all of us at all times," Paul replied, giving Serenity a goofy smile. "But man, I'm dying for a smoke and I bet he is, too. Gotta hand it to you though, girly, with all these fans, you're holding out with the best of em'. This is gonna end on a smooth note for sure."

"I hope so," she mumbled as her focus fell back on David. He was still smoking, watching her like a hawk in much the same way Dwayne always had and she could tell by his cold gaze and his thoughts that he knew something was up and it went beyond fans.

"Just keep your eyes peeled boys," David remarked as if he had been eavesdropping. "We'll break in a minute."

Paul knew that David's minute was usually more than one or two or three, so he threw an arm behind Serenity's chair and kicked his feet up onto the table, never minding the glares he received from some of the nearby promoters. Marko sat down on the other side of her, reaching in to poke Paul in the ribs for being an ass in front of the crowd, and Dwayne took a seat on the other side of him just in case something were to get out of hand. He could hear the rock music in Paul's head starting up again as it always did when he was around Serenity. Dwayne knew the reason why, but refused to disclose it with anyone.

Meanwhile, Paul watched with amusement as a new girl busted out a blonde hair that was SUPPOSEDLY from Serenity and presented it to her. "More like someone escaped from the loony bin," he commented under his breath or lack of.

From where David sat, he could hear the eccentric girl going on and on about the lost lock of hair she had found that supposedly belonged to Serenity. One with brains would have known that many people with blonde hair had tromped over the sand on the beach in their seaside town, and to think of the possible diseases this girl now carried from her adventures was disgusting. Not that he had to worry about that. What worried him more was who was lurking in this crowd of over exuberant and deranged fans. He had known that sooner or later they would come crawling back, but the one with power, what did she have up her sleeve?

_I see you. You can't hide from me._

He let the mental message slip out over the large crowd and land exactly where it should, while Paul took the liberty of keeping Serenity's nerves at bay.

Finally the girl took her book after it was signed, clutched it to her chest, and went on her merry way. Seconds later, the next girl was bound and determined to have her book signed; and from the jumbled thoughts Paul picked up from her, she was ready to fire a dozen or so questions at Serenity. "This won't take long," he assured the former chosen one beside him as he threw his hands behind his head and tilted his chair back. At the same time, he casually slipped a mental suggestion into the chatterbox's head telling her that all she wanted to do was get her book signed and get the hell out of dodge. The girl's eyes became glazed and she nearly dropped her book onto the table. Her thoughts were now all clear: sign book, be on her way.

Dwayne, on the other hand, sized up the action in silence but unlike his usual stoic glare, he wore half a smile as he leaned forward to look at David at the other end of the table. The leaders focus was directed towards the back of the crowd and his own eagle eyes scanned to see just what it was he was looking at. Using their connection, he focused in on a young girl with dark hair, and another that looked eerily familiar, but as the wind shifted, he caught the scent coming from that direction and growled.

"Wolf!" he snarled and sat back in his seat. _Hey boss, you thinking there's going to be a werewolf invasion tonight? I see one coming this way. Least she smells of it anyway._

_No. Not that kind of attack, one of her own kind. You remember a girl by the name of Sasha?_

_Sasha?_ The girl was a distant memory to Dwayne and not one that he gave much thought to. He was more concerned about the wolf in the crowd. _She pissed off Serenity's giving away their secrets?_ That was the only thing he could think of because there was no other reason why the girl would come up and just attack them. From what he remembered, they were on the same team, with the exception of David locking her in the basement. He had forgotten about that and notion made him laugh.

_Better watch it brother, she's coming to get you. You know what they say about a woman scorned. Still, you know me. I don't trust these wolves. Not one bit_.

Meanwhile, across the way, Marie huffed in annoyance as she found herself behind a swarm of people. "Oh come on!" She was quick to see that nearly all of them were holding onto the same book that she had in her possession. The old carousel looked to be miles away with the way everyone had gathered together to meet the author – the same reason she was in Santa Carla today.

Reaching back, she felt the steel rail and managed to hoist herself up to sit on top of it. From this vantage point, she could see over everyone's heads and check out the entire set up, along with the stars themselves, Serenity Woods and her 'vampires.'

Judging by the giggles and lovey-dovey talk in front of her, Marie figured these girls weren't necessarily here for the author, but to hopefully score some attention from the guys. "Great, I must be the only person here who isn't trying to score a date," she muttered as she carefully slid down off the rail. "At this rate, the park'll be closed before I can get my autograph."

As soon as her sneakers touched the wooden walkway, she heard someone beside her speak directly to her.

"You're wasting your time wanting to see her. It's not like she'll ever want to be close to anyone. She has everything she needs right there on stage."

Marie hadn't even noticed her there until she started speaking. Little did she know that Sasha had perfected the art of slipping in and out without being noticed. It was just one of the many abilities she had gained since she found freedom from the New Life Corp. Too bad she could sense that bastard, David, keeping tabs on her, even at this distance.

With arms folded across her chest, she sneered as her dark eyes focused on Serenity, but then they softened just a bit when they settled on Paul. "She's just playing herself to be this humble country girl when she only gives a shit about those boys up there."

"Really?" Marie turned her attention to the girl, still caught off guard by her sudden comments. She did note the bitter tone when referring to Serenity, as if she somehow knew her from somewhere. Was she an old friend who got left behind when fame came around for Ms. Woods? Or did she use to date one of those guys up there?

"Jeez, that kind of sucks if that's true," she began with a touch of disappointment in her voice. "But..." her expression perked up just a little as she looked ahead once more. The sea of people started to shift, surging forward little by little. Now was the time to take her place! "What can I say? Her writing style is great!" She glanced over at the girl and asked, "Did you wanna stand in line with me? Maybe if you guys saw each other face to face, you could um, I don't know, work past these issues?"

"No thanks," she replied coldly. Her eyes narrowed, as she recalled her last encounter with David, which left a bitter, vile taste in her mouth. She pushed a few locks of her dark hair aside, tucking them behind her ear as she drew in a sharp breath before exhaling. "I've already seen more than I've wanted to see. Just take my advice; don't even think about trying to get close to ANY of them. You'll be sorry." With that, she drew away from Marie's side and walked away from the crowd, careful not to touch anyone or anything as she eventually vanished from sight.

Back at the center of attention, Serenity had realized that David was giving off weird vibes. He had been on complete alert all night, even more so than usual, but his thoughts were blocked from her, as were Dwayne's and yet she could tell they were communicating between each other.

Usually by now, Paul would be well aware of David's demeanor, but as his eyes scanned along the crowd of humans, and when he heard Dwayne's remark of "wolf," his eyes briefly settled upon a familiar girl. The one with dark hair and those eyes...

Wait wasn't that...?

He shook his head and if he was trying to shake off a bad memory, then immediately kicked the music back in his head that he would play around his lil' sis. This time he had Quiet Riot cranked up to volume eleven by the time the next girl came up. "You don't have a book, girly."

"No, no, I'm sorry. I just, well I wanted to meet my favorite Lost Boy. Paul, I absolutely love you! Make me a vampire? I'll be with you forever."

Paul couldn't help but offer her a twisted smile when she proclaimed her affection for him and that she wanted to be a vampire. The girl twisted her hands in front of her and hunched her shoulders as she caught Paul's smile and gushed. This set Serenity off and she frowned, shaking her head.

"Oh yeah, we just hand out immortality freebies to anyone who asks," Paul remarked jovially enough, which was followed by a laugh. Before the girl could answer, however, he had her look deep into his eyes and that was when she was silently told to be waiting for him and his brothers in a few hours for 'dinner.' The girl slowly blinked a few times before she simply walked off to go about her business. With a snicker, Paul turned his attention right back at Serenity, and he winked.

"Don't gotta worry about her much longer, babe. But I say you're the star attraction here and in need of a break! If these people are any real sort of fans, they'll wait for you! Right David?"

David had noticed that Serenity was distressed and it appeared that Paul had spotted the enemy, except, none of them knew she was the enemy, and he knew that sooner or later he would have to lay the truth out before them. The question was how to do it without causing a shit storm between his pack brothers. As far as he knew, Paul and Serenity were best friends and nothing beyond that because each brother's loyalty to the pack came first and foremost. Serenity knew this as well and would not meddle. "Time for that break," he insisted. "The crowd is getting too familiar with us. We wouldn't want them getting any ideas, now would we?" Without regard for anyone else standing in line, he rose from his seat. As soon as he was up, Dwayne stood as well and offered Serenity a hand out of habit. Out of the four of them, he was often the most gentlemanly, even if it meant that the human he played gentlemen too would become a mess of slop and bones used to pick his teeth with shortly after.

Marko followed and stuck close to his girl until they were out of sight from the masses and that's when he finally cut loose. "Seriously? What the fuck is going on?" The question was shot out to all four of them, which meant Serenity as well as he stood and took her hand. "You want me to ask it again? Cuz I dunno about you guys but I'm getting mixed signals up and down the asshole here. David?" He glowered and then turned to Serenity, brushing his thumbs over her cheeks. "I've never seen you this worked up over fans, especially towards my brothers. Usually you just laugh it off, but tonight, it's like you can't concentrate at all. Something wrong? If there is I say we bail on this. Who gives a shit what people think? I mean they got like rain checks for this type deal don't they?

"What?" Her look was questioning as she shook her head no as if everything was all right, when really it wasn't. "Nothing is wrong, it's just a little much for me tonight, that's all. I keep getting these weird signals." Her eyes darted towards David as he stood with yet another cigarette in his hand and his expression was as cool as a cucumber. There was nothing to show for her feelings there and Dwayne was the same, but did she dare say that they had been talking telepathically behind her back? "And anyway, I think there would be a lot of crazy, pissed off fans here if I walked away now. I mean we are safe, right?"

She swallowed down the nerves that began to resurface and blinked as she looked up to Paul as if he had the answer. For whatever reason, after the mess with Max and her move to Santa Carla, they'd instantly become close.

"This is not the time nor the place for this conversation, Marko." David gave his second youngest a stern look before regarding Serenity. "But you're right, I think it's time we close up shop here boys." He said this, knowing that he had been hiding some pretty big secrets from her. Secrets that she had a right to know as did his boys, but the time was not right. "You've been stressed tonight, more than usual and there are a few old relics here lurking in the shadows and the crowd. I have to take my own precautions for the sake of this pack."

"That's why David is the leader!" Paul exclaimed. "He knows the score. But if we bail, I'm good. Seeing as how the lil' missy here is not feeling too hot, I say good call." Paul met Serenity's gaze finally and for a few seconds, their sights were locked. Man, who would've ever thought this girl would become his best friend, and a little sister that he would flirt with and pal around with...not to mention wonder…_BANG YOUR HEAD!_ The lead singer of Quiet Riot shrieked into his mind as he looked away from Serenity and grinned. No more of THOSE thoughts right now.

Dwayne rolled his eyes and gave David a pointed look. Later on he planned to have a talk with their boss man in private about this whole ordeal and about the things that went beyond fans and old timers turning up to visit. "You want me to tell what's his face we're wrapping it up?" He turned as if he was ready to end the charade and David nodded to excuse him.

Serenity took a deep breath, and grabbed the back of her arms knowing that the fans would be pissed, but she would find a way to make it up to them.

As they were excused and made their way to the bikes, David stopped as if he'd seen or heard a ghost. He sniffed the air around them and turned in a complete circle, looking over each of his boys as if to ask them silently if they had smelled and felt the same thing he had. A small hint of fear seeped as deep as his bones as he recalled the smell of this lost gypsy. Not only was it the same as it had been years before, but he also smelled kin on her, which only made sense. Max had been brought back to life and therefore all the other halves would once again be in that state, but they had killed him again, so how was this possible? Could Max still be alive some how, some way?

"What's up, boss?" Marko asked. The quick mental connection clicked on and he got the message loud and clear. "What the fuck would she be doing here? You know if she's here..." He silenced himself fast, considering Jenn had no idea who they were talking about. _You think she's looking for us?_ He cut his bond with Jenn so that only his brothers could hear, but he could tell she was fighting the block as a frown appeared on her forehead and she broke away from him.

An inner rage boiled up inside Paul at the thought of their former sister being here. He vividly remembered how close they used to be, when she was brought in once upon a time. He was always able to get her to smile and laugh. He would always promise her that their family would all live happily ever after. When he learned that she screwed up by not killing Michael, and in turn that led to Marko's death, or so he thought, he was beyond pissed off. How could she do that to him, or to all of them? He could still remember the terrified look on her face when she and Laddie were running away from the Frog Brothers. Paul may have helped spare their lives by popping out from his hiding spot at the right moment, if only so that he could punish Star himself for her betrayal. Obviously his plan had backfired, but If she really was back, he would be able to punish her for all the shit she caused!

"Let her come for us," he said with a dark laugh. "We'll be more than ready to 'welcome' her back into the fold, won't we?"

On the other side of the Boardwalk, Star sat on the ground, partially obscured by the shadows. In her lap was a book: "Destination Unknown" by Serenity Woods. She came upon it when a disgruntled person dropped it on the ground as they walked by, unaware of her presence just a few feet away. Curiosity got the better of her and she reached out and plucked it off the ground. She cracked the novel in the middle and her eyes did a quick scan of the words. To her astonishment, she recognized the names in there.

David.

Marko.

Paul.

Dwayne.

She held her breath as she forced herself to scan through a couple of the sentences. The names of the Lost Boys, along with the mentions of what their true natures were all about... Could it be? How could this one person know all about them and be so familiar with them? Slowly exhaling, she closed the book and peered around the corner of the building. The book-signing crowd had gradually thinned out until the regular waves of tourists and locals made their way along the amusement park once more.

Could it be a coincidence? The dreams she had of someone calling out to her, her abrupt transformation to a half vampire once more, returning to Santa Carla, her discovering this book, and learning that the vampires she feared were brought back to life...? It sounded too strange to be real.

If it was true, and if the Lost Boys were in fact alive, then her own life was in danger.

~_Reviews are loved~_


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